Why did you get your Prius?

Well I had been thinking about getting rid of my 6 year-old TDI for some time (on which I had spent 500 Euros because of a faulty turbo sensors and another 800 Euros at 120,000km (75,000 miles) for the replacement of the fluid used by the Particulate filter and yet another 400 Euros for the clutch at 140,000km because of faulty 2-mass flywheel (this part was free and had already been replaced in a previous recall) - needless to say that I was very disappointed by how the French manufacturer handled all these defects).
Then I heard about the release of the 2010 Prius (in June in France) and I started looking it up on various websites.

I had already checked out the HSD of the previous generations and had already been interested in this technology, but I didn't like the look of the previous generations (and I did not plan to sell my current car at that time, despite the problems I encountered).

Well, my girlfriend got bored of me reading all these prius forums and decided to arrange for me to test drive one which instantly got me hooked. I sold my car the following week and ordered a Prius (equivalent to V w/AT package). After an extremely long wait, i got my Prius on December 18th and already have over 3000 miles on it; I'm very happy :rockon: and will probaby never go back to Diesel: to me the prius is the best of both worlds : the quietness of a gas engine and the fuel-efficiency and of a diesel (without all the nasty stuff that comes with diesels).

I know there are many people in North America which think that diesels are the way to go, but over 70% of our cars are diesel engines in France and this is becoming a major health issue. I just had a look at my cabin filter after 3000 miles an it is already dark grey

 

We were replacing an old car (2000). I value low pollution and efficiency. The Prius is currently the best car in the US market in those areas. We were able to afford a Prius so I bought one.

I believe in hybrid and BEV but unfortunately I was buying a couple of years too early to join the BEV revolution.

 

I was first introduced to the Prius by a friend when he volunteered to drive for lunch. I thought wow this car isn't so small from the inside, and the acceleration is rather good. Then there was that cool dash board with lots of lights and info. Later when I was forced to change jobs and the new job required me to drive over 60 miles each way the 14mpg's with the F150 and a 10% pay cut were going to reak havoc on the budget. I had an extra f150 that I was making payments on just sitting there. Well I figured if I could get a decent price on trade in a bit larger payment but 60% less fuel costs I would be ahead of the game. Then I test drove the new gen III and I was hooked. Luckily I got a decent price for trade in and now I'm so happy.... Even tho I still stop at the gas station every 3 days the difference between $90 - $100 to fill up verses the $25 - $30 fill up now. I just get all giggly inside...

 

I have read for years the prius is one of the most dependable cars sold in the us. Also the thought of getting over 50mpg was the biggest factor. I have always spent about 400 a month on car payment for a long time now. So considering i kept doing that the prius is going to save me about 10-16k in fuel costs over the life of the car.

 

Technology of the Prius was what did it for me. I was tired of the same old cars, (test drove most mid sized cars including Cadillac) and did not get excited about any of them. The Prius 2010 definitely fit me (physically) better than it's predecessors, and the ammenities offered were pretty comparable or better than most modern packages. There were some drawbacks, but the car does some things that you just do not see in other cars, and I enjoy driving it even after 7 months. I cannot say that about the other cars I have owned.

 

why?

Main reason: mpg's....and I have not been disappointed.

Secondary reason: strong relaibility record

 

I made the so called "plunge" in late July of '09. I couldn't be happier, my car was on their cement display block and let me drive it down the ramp! I felt like a celebrity. Best day ever.

 

1. It's gorgeous! Duh?!?!
2. MPG
3. Fun to drive. Never would have guessed driving slow, gentle, and smooth can be fun.
4. It's different in a good way, not just different for the sake of being different.
5. Right size for me. Practical.
6. High-tech. I love the electronic whir as it pulls away or comes to a stop.


I considered many cars in my search. I wanted an Xterra for a while, then a Mercedes C-Class, then a Venza, then a FJ, then a Tacoma, then an IS250............... I have no kids, pets, boats, nothing to haul, no mountains to climb, or image to uphold. The 2010 Prius V made the most sense, and is the only car that I'm willing to go back into monthly payments for.

 

We lost our '91 Camry in a rain-slick, overpass accident and needed a fuel efficient replacement. A used, 2003 Prius fully met our budget and expectations and remains my commuting vehicle since 2005.

We had a 2001 Echo, my wife's car. When a good buy on a 2010 Prius came up, we sold her Echo to get the 2010 Prius. It is our cross-country and errand car.

Both Prius have achieved life-time mileage greater than 50 MPG, fully meeting our expectations.

Bob Wilson

 

As fuel prices were peaking, I learned that aftermarket MPG gauges were available (e.g. ScanGauge-II), so ordered one and joined the hypermiling community.

Over the next several months, I finally learned why non-hybrid cars burned as much fuel as they did, and why their MPG had not improved in twenty years. This left me very PO'ed.

With a car upgrade about 5 years overdue -- I had budgeted to replace an 1986 Accord when it wore out, but it just wasn't going to do that -- the 2010 Prius was the right car at the right time.

 

I liked the looks of the 2010. I had always admired the mechanicals, but frankly, I avoided the car because I thought it looked funny and I wasn't too crazy about some of the owners using the car as a political or environmental statement. Besides, if Hollywood personalities were to tell me the sky was blue, I would want a window immediately available.

I have always had "interesting" cars and enjoy cars for lots of reasons. I am also interested in technical matters and like fooling around to see how much mileage I get.

I kept my Thunderbird roadster and plan to use it in the evenings with the top down, but I got tired of 12-14 mpg around town. I do believe that gas prices are on the way up.

I looked at lots of little cars. I wanted one I could get gadgets in...like the Nav unit and a decent radio. The interior room was a bonus. Regular gas was a must.

It just fit with what I wanted right now. Besides a Pearl Blizzard passed me on the interstate and I just loved the color and the look. He was probably getting about 15 mpg at the speed he was going, but he looked really good.

 

I always wanted one ever since the Gen II came out.

 

We did not have a car for the past 5 years. Our daily life does not require a car. We were renting cars at Enterprise when we needed one for the weekend to get out of the town. Once, we got a Dodge Charger. That weekend, we made 300km (190 mi) and had to put 40 litres (10.5 us gal) of gas into the tank. I was so disgusted that we started thinking about getting a car.

I looked over the internet about hybrid vehicles. If we had to buy a car, it would be an hybrid or nothing. Looked for the Honda Insight, Civic hybrid, Prius. I felt the hybrid technology of Honda sucked. Their cars are not built to be hybrid, they are just conventional cars fitted with an electric motor. They have a higher FE than their conventional counterparts, but it is not that impressive. I read more and more about the Prius. Very nice hybrid system, very clever. The best IMHO.

Out of curiosity, I went to a Toyota dealer to see the 2010 Priuses. They just got one for a demo. Tried it. Got hooked. Two days later, it was ours. Love it since then.

We would not have had enough money to buy a Prius 5 years ago. With all the money we saved by not having a car for these 5 years, we had enough money to buy the Prius 2010 instead of a Yaris, Golf or Civic. 1 rock, two hits for the environment.

 

Right now in The Netherlands 1 liter of gas costs 1.50 Euro that is approx 2.08 US Dollar.

That would make it 7.87 US Dollar per gallon, so you can see how only politicians and rock stars can afford a non Prius car here.

The Netherlands has the highest gas prices of all Europe and it wouldn't surprise me if that would mean the highest gas prices in the world.

Does anyone want to buy my current car in a few weeks? A gas guzzling BMW 540i touring?
I guess I'm not on the right forum for that.

:focus: ...

The reasons for me to buy a Prius are:

• A car at the polarization specter of automotive discussion (like the BMW 540i touring) and I like it that people don't like what I have out of rage or envy.
• A car that has a lot of features
• A car that is affordable to buy new, I mean I guess a Lexus 650 is out of the question for a good while to come, unfortunately
• A car that doesn't need a stop by the dealer to be fixed every other month
• A car that is acceptable for my environmentally engaged friends and family
• There are enough users in priuschat.com to keep the fun in driving it
• My daughter deserves safe transportation and so do my wife and dog

 

HOV access. Low price. Decided against another luxury car - wanted to save the money for something else.

 

I had a 2005 Corolla and wanted to trade in when it was 5 years old (registration/warranty exp). Wasn't crazy about the way the older Prius looked, but really liked the 2010 changes. Was also looking at the Honda hybrid, but the Prius seemed like such a better car. Main reason was for MPG, I have pretty much all stop and go driving, great to be green, and the added bonus is my insurance dropped! Don't get that but happy.

 

Just put my deposit down on a V today, should be here in a couple of weeks.

Reason why I got it is mainly because I bought a house that's further from work. Going from a 14 mile round trip to now a 55 mile round trip every day eats up the gas pretty fast, especially when driving a car that gets 18 mpg on the freeway or a suv that gets 12 mpg on a good day.